Existing federal law requires a state that wishes to receive certain federal grants to file with the Secretary of Education a plan which includes a statewide accountability system for education. (20 U.S.C. § 6311) Existing federal law requires such a statewide accountability system to identify schools for certain levels of support and improvement. (20 U.S.C. § 6311(c), (d)) Existing state law requires: (1) the board of trustees of each school district, in consultation with the Department of Education, to issue ratings for each public school in the district and each charter school sponsored by the district in accordance with the statewide system of accountability; and (2) the Department to issue such ratings for other charter schools in this State. (NRS 385A.720) Sections 1 and 2 of this bill prohibit the statewide system of accountability, the board of trustees of each school district and the Department from using information concerning whether a school is identified for any level of support and improvement in accordance with federal law to affect the rating of a school according to the statewide system of accountability. Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district to prepare an annual report of accountability which contains certain information, including information concerning: (1) the attendance, truancy and transiency of pupils; and (2) the progression of pupils who are English learners. (NRS 385A.070, 385A.240, 385A.280) Sections 1 and 2 prohibit the information which is collected regarding attendance and truancy from: (1) contributing to the rating of a public school according to the statewide system of accountability; or (2) being used as an indicator of school quality or student success according to the statewide system of accountability and federal law. Section 1 also requires the statewide performance targets established for pupils who are English learners as part of the statewide system of accountability to: (1) account for the length of time each pupil has been enrolled in a particular school; and (2) include performance targets for transitioning such pupils from the status of English learner to proficient in the English language each year. Existing law requires: (1) the State Board of Education to adopt regulations prescribing the requirements for a pupil to receive a standard high school diploma; and (2) any child between the ages of 7 and 18 years to attend public school, with certain exceptions. (NRS 390.600, 392.040) Section 4 of this bill authorizes a pupil to receive a standard high school diploma if the pupil submits evidence satisfactory to the State Board that the pupil has earned an associate's degree or higher at any university, state college or community college, regardless of whether the pupil satisfies the requirements for a standard high school diploma prescribed by the State Board. Sections 3 and 9 of this bill excuse a child from attendance in school or in a program of distance education if the child has received a standard high school diploma on the basis of having received an associate's degree or higher. Sections 10 and 11 of this bill make conforming changes to indicate the proper placement of section 9 in the Nevada Revised Statutes. Existing law requires: (1) each teacher and administrator who provides direct instructional services to pupils at a school to develop learning goals for such pupils; and (2) pupil growth, as measured using those learning goals, to account for 15 percent of the performance evaluation of a teacher or administrator who provides such direct instructional services to pupils. (NRS 391.465, 391.480) Section 5 of this bill increases the percentage of such performance evaluation that is based on pupil growth from 15 percent to 50 percent. Section 8 of this bill requires the State Board, to the extent money is available, to establish a program to award grants to provide incentives for schools and teachers that achieve high levels of pupil growth. Section 7 of this bill requires the State Board and the Department to develop and implement a mentorship program for school personnel which includes a method for pairing personnel from schools that achieve higher ratings according to the statewide system of accountability with personnel who perform similar duties from schools that achieve lower ratings.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 385A.600, 385A.720, 388.862, 390.600, 391.465, 392.180, 392.215
BDR: 385A.600, 385A.720, 388.862, 390.600, 391.465, 392.180, 392.215